INDOCHINA: The Way of the Ancient
We are flying to Indochina in the midst of the rainy season. On the day of the full moon of July, Queen Maya conceived a child, who later became Prince Siddharta. The same day, the prince left his father's palace, to begin searching for the meaning of life and the way to salvation. On this day, a few years later, he gave his first sermon to the first five disciples. On that same day, July 19, 2011, begins our journey - The World without visas.
The exotic countries of Indochina have always attracted travelers. But it was very difficult to reach here, from Europe. Either by land via China or India, or by the sea around Africa and again India. Mainly traders were travelling. In the period of important geographical discoveries, the Portuguese seamen have laid a way here. In 1890, during the big round-the-world travel, Bangkok was visited by the successor of the Russian throne, future emperor Nicholas II. At the end of the 20th century, the convergence between Russia and Thailand, took place on the basis of tourism.
Prince Gautama Siddharta, from the Shakyev dynasty, became the founder of Buddhism. Apparently, at this child's birth, astrologers have foretold that he has two paths in life — either to become the great governor or a barefoot tramp. His parents, of course, wanted their child to choose the first option. For this reason, they tried to enclose him in every possible way from real life, having surrounded him with care, guardianship and luxury. So the prince lived until the age of 29, as in a peculiar incubator. And for this reason, the collision with life's realities — illness, feebleness and death —became the strongest shock for him. The prince abandoned his wife and new born son, and went on a quest for truth — a way that will help to completely and forever, get rid of sufferings. Having despaired to reach enlightenment by available methods, he discovered a way in between, a way of refusal of the extremes of asceticism, and a connivance to his own demands. On this path, he reached a desirable enlightenment, and at the age of about 35, became Buddha.